







/.C:^-*°o 












i^ .1- 










^« • 









''bv^ 






»~ ^ t • 



**o« 




/.C)^.'^°o 







o . » • A 







«■''% ° 




^ • - » AY 













9 ^^ -; 




'^6>/-Tr;-* .-*«•' 

















f^ . 








'>o^ 



;♦ ^y 




^aq^ 



c» # 





'^U.r.<t 











e«« 



»• A-^*^ 



"-^0^ 
^^^ 










^^•^^. 



^^^^ 










•^<5^Sv«k*i ^ 'I* 



ij5^^ 






















• .6* •%> 









Digitized by the Internet Archive 
in 2010 with funding from 
The Library of Congress 



http://www.archive.org/details/independencedaylOOhanm 



No. R129 



INDEPENDENCE DAY LEGISLATION 

AND 

CELEBRATION SUGGESTIONS 



LEE F. HANMER 




Making Way For Liberty 



Published by the 
Dei^artment of Recreation 
Russell Sage Foundation 

400 Metropolitan Tower. New York City 



Price 10 Cents 



5-13-30 



CONTENTS 



PAGE 



The "Sane Fourth" and the Casualty Roll i 

Extract from Letter by John Adams 2 

Independence Day 3 

Material for the Program 6 

What Tetanus Is 1 8 

Ordinances IQ 



How the "Sane Fourth" has Affected the 
Casualty Roll 





Cities Celebrating 
Sanely 


Serious Accidents 
Reported 


1908 


A\ 


\ 5623 / 


1909 


/2o\ 


\ 5307 / 


1910 


/ 91 \ 


\ 2923 / 


1911 


/ ^^^ \ 


\ 1603 / 


1912 


/ 258 \ 


\988/ 


1913 


/ ' \ 


V 









Also an Inspiration to Patriotism 




"In the Brave Days of Old" 



"This second (fourth) day of July, 1776, 
will be the most memorable epoch in the 
history of America. I am apt to believe that 
it will be celebrated by succeeding genera- 
tions as the great anniversary festival. It 
ought to be commemorated by solemn acts 
of devotion to God Almighty. It ought to 
be solemnized with pomp and parade, with 
shows, games, sports, guns, bells, bonfires, 
and illuminations, from one end of this con- 
tinent to the other, and from this time for- 
ward forever more." 

(Extract from a letter by John Adams to 
his wife.) 



Gin 

Publisher 
JUf 



INDEPENDENCE DAY 

Once upon a time long, long ago a great event took place 
in American history. As the importance of that event came 
to be duly appreciated by the people, they agreed that its anniver- 
sary should be fittingly observed. They felt that it should be 
a holiday on which the boys and girls should be reminded of the 
sacrifices made and hardships endured by the men and women 
of 1776 in order that they and we might enjoy the privileges 
and benefits of freedom. 

John Adams' suggestion that "It ought to be solemnized 
with pomp and parade, with shows? games, sports, guns, bells, 
bonfires, and illuminations, from one end of this continent to 
the other, and from this time forward forevermore" was en- 
thusiastically adopted and July 4th came to be a time of re- 
joicing and patriotic fervor. 

The "guns" and "bonfire" part of the celebration was 
easy to carry out and appealed strongly to that part of the popu- 
lation that is always in evidence on such occasions. Yankee 
ingenuity developed all sorts of noise-producing devices until 
the "Fourth" became a time of unrestrained dissipation, espe- 
cially on the part of boys, large and small, armed with firecrackers, 
pistols, torpedoes, giant crackers and toy cannon. What was 
meant, to perpetuate a great idea became a menace. The 
"Barbarous Fourth" it was indeed, nois'e, accident, and death 
characterized the day, and the original purpose of the holi- 
day was steadily forced into the background. Public sentiment 
attempted to call a halt, but without success, until in 1908 the 
Fourth of July casualty list, for the United States, reached the 
appalling total of 5623. During the entire War of the Revolu- 
tion the American losses were only slightly more than twice 
that number in killed, wounded and missing. The efforts at 
reform had been directed chiefly against the use of explosives 
and had failed utterly. 

In the midst of this losing fight a few communities hit upon 
a plan of providing substitutes for the undesirable features of 
the former celebrations by arranging programs that were suf- 

3 



ficicntly attracti\e to win their wet>-. The plan worked well 
from the start. 

At a meeting of the Pla>-ground Association of America, in 
Pittsburgh in 1909, a conference of municipal representatives 
was held to discuss this new plan and to devise ways of making 
it more effective. The "Safe and Sane Fourth" was the name 
given to the new movement. Patriotism was its key note. 

Twenty cities tried it that year and the accidents dropped 
from 5623 to 5307. The record on page i of this pamphlet 
gives the subsequent results. 

Important as is this decrease of accidents, the increase of 
patriotic inspiration made possible by the depicting of historic 
incidents and the emphasizing of patriotic ideals is of even 
greater importance. The programs have been planned so that 
they were first, an inspiration to patriotism; second, so attrac- 
tive as to leave no desire on the part of any boy or girl for the 
old, undesirable things; and third, as free as possible from 
danger to life and limb. We need to have this great holiday 
properly celebrated, not alone for the children born and reared 
under American influences, but for the thousands of boys and 
girls, and men and women also, who come to us annually from 
other lands. To make American citizens of them is no small 
task. The influence of this holiday rightly celebrated will 
help greatly in this undertaking. 

This point was well made recently by a newcomer to our 
shores who happened to be attending a mass-meeting in an 
eastern city where the citizens were considering plans for their 
Fourth of July celebration. After listening to the recital of 
Independence Day casualties which the spokesman of the meet- 
ing was using to convince his neighbors that action was necessary, 
this man arose and said: "My friends, in my own land we have 
great national holidays that are sincerely loved by all the people 
for their sacred associations and for the patriotic spirit that their 
observance inspires. Your record of casualties and fire losses 
on America's anniversary of Independence is appalling, but 
awful as it is, it seems to me to be of far less moment than the 
loss you permit by neglecting the opportunity that this great 
holiday affords for inspiring patriotism in your people and for 
teaching your boys and girls, and those who come from other 
lands to make i^merica their home, the great lessons of freedom, 
independence and the high pri^'ilege of citizenship." 



In one Massachusetts city the granting of certificates of 
citizenship to newcomers is made the subject of an impressive 
pubHc occasion. The foUowing is from a report of one of these 
meetings held on March i8, 191 3: 

"Surrounded by an atmosphere of patriotic fervor, eighty- 
one newly made citizens were publicly presented with their 
naturalization certificates by the Clerk of Courts at the assembly 
hall of the High School building Tuesday evening. The event 
evoked a remarkable amount of patriotic feeling on the part of 
all who participated, and the enthusiasm displayed could but 




People from Other Lands 

bring into the hearts of these men the significance of the oc- 
casion. Attorney opened the meeting introducing the 

Mayor as chairman, who spoke briefly, giving the new citizens 

some good advice as to their duties as citizens of the United 

States." 

The program included: 



"Star Spangled Banner," 

By High School Chorus. 



Remarks, 

By the Mayor. 
"Battle Hymn of the Republic," 

By High School Chorus. 
Lincoln's Gettysburg Address, 

By Mesrop Mooradeanian. 
Remarks, 

By Principal of the High School. 
Selection, 

By Training School Band. 
Remarks, 

By Hon , Justice of the Superior Court. 

"America," 

By Training School Band, High School Chorus, 
and Audience. , , - 

Might this not, in some places, be an appropriate feature of the 
Independence Day celebration? Certainly, it would help the 
new citizen to appreciate more keenly the significance of his 
newly acquired privilege and responsibility. 

MATERIAL FOR THE PROGRAM 

The predominant idea of a holiday celebration should be fun. 
"Kept busy having a good time" is the keynote of the success 
of the "Sane Fourth" movement. It might well have been 
called "The Bigger and Better Fourth." Surely it is becoming 
a happier and more sigfiificant Fourth. 

Games, parades, music, decorations, drills, exhibitions, tab- 
leaux, pageants, outings, and illuminations are the materials 
out of which may be constructed a program that will afford 
pleasure, appeal to all, — young and old, — and emphasize the great 
ideal that this holiday is designed to perpetuate. 

Pageantry offers a most effective means of celebrating. 
The great historic incidents of national significance, such as 
"Signing the Declaration" and the "Surrender of Cornwallis" 
may be used, augmented by incidents drawn from the history 
of the state or city or neighborhood to furnish "local color." 
In pamphlet No. 114, published by the Department of Recrea- 
tion of the Russell Sage Foundation, 400 Metropolitan Tower, 
New York City, William Chauncy Langdon has worked out 
the details of such a pageant. 



The Swarthmore Tableaux 

The Swarthmore, Pennsylvania, Fourth of July Tableaux, 
prepared by E. M. Fergusson, contain so many practical sug- 
gestions that it seemed justifiable to give the following details 
about them : 

The historical tableaux which formed the conclusion of the 
Fourth of July celebration at Swarthmore, Pa., 1912, were given 
in the evening on an open-air stage in a hollow of the college cam- 
pus. The stage was provided with electric lights and a curtain, 
heavy foliage forming the natural background. There were 
also a number of large screens, movable platforms, and other 
pieces of property. The aim of the tableaux was to present in 
successive scenes the history of the country, with special 
reference to the historical associations of that neighborhood. 
Swarthmore being still largely a Quaker settlement, and near 
to Philadelphia and the Delaware River, they began with the 
"Landing of the Quakers," and in the later scenes introduced 
Benjamin West, the house of whose birth still stands on the 
college campus; the old Bluebell Tavern of revolutionary days, 
a landmark on the Darby road; the old entrance to Philadel- 
phia from the south; the Baltimore turnpike which skirts the 
borough on the north, etc. 

In arranging the cast, the manager made a list of persons who 
might be depended on to take dififerent scenes, called them to- 
gether, went over and explained the list of tableaux and the 
work which each would involve, and secured a leader for each of 
eight -or ten groups of people. Each leader agreed to find other 
friends, completing the needed cast for that part of the work, 
and report names to the manager. Each group of workers took 
charge of one or two tableaux. Where two tableaux were thus 
thrown together, the second made use largely of the characters 
and costumes shown in the first scene. Each group, accordingly, 
was responsible for a single project, and worked independently 
of the rest, so that only two general rehearsals were necessary. 
A stage manager worked with all the groups and attended to 
the make-up of the characters as they went on. In presenting 
the tableaux, a lecturer introduced each with a brief explanation, 
and each group, knowing its place, took charge as soon as the 
previous group had finished its act. A band played between 
the scenes. The whole performance occupied an hour and a 



8 

half. The total expense — mostly rental of costumes — was 
$35-00. 

The list of the tableaux follows: 

1. Landing of the Quakers from the ship ''Welcome," 16S2. 
A false floor about two feet high, sloping from middle 

to right, covered with green crex rugs to represent top of 
the bluff at the Delaware river front. Group of live Indians 
at left rear, watching. Group of Quaker settlers climbing 
the hill from right. They carry oars, coil of rope, spades, 
axes, bundles of bedding, pots and pans, and one or two 
pieces of antique furniture. In the center, leading, is 
William Penn. 

2. Penn's Treaty ivith the Indians. 

Same characters, with one or two others; group as 
in the painting by Benjamin West. 

3. Benjamin West Lear?iing to be an Artist. 

Interior of living room in the West homestead, with 
furniture borrowed from that and other old houses, Col- 
onial fireplace, with concealed lamp for firelight. Boy 
seated on stool near fireplace, with drawing board and 
crayon held up in front of him, looking up at his mother, 
face to firelight. Mother, in colonial costume, leans 
over his shoulder, looking at his drawing, smiles, and pats 
his shoulder. (Have the story told of his first sketch and 
how his mother's kiss, as he afterwards said, made him 
a painter.) 

4. The Spirit of 'j6. 

Use the familiar picture entitled "The Spirit of '76" 
as a model in arranging this scene. 

5. Delegates to the Continental Congress at the Blue 
Bell Tavern (Pantomime) . 

Interior of the Blue Bell. (The place was visited and 
old pictures studied to get ideas.) Large fireplace in 
rear, with mantel shelf and plates; also, a rough picture 
of King George III, with royal arms below. Small table 
in center. 

Inn boy discovered asleep in darkened room, roused 
by knocking, calls mistress, who comes from behind screen, 
right. She calls the sleeping maid, and they go to the 
right to prepare dinner. Boy goes out and returns with 
bridles, which he takes out to left around a screen forming 



rear door to yard. Landlord in apron enters from right, 
as the three delegates enter. Delegates are in Colonial 
costume, with riding boots and cloaks. They give their 
order, then seat themselves around the table, while the 
maid serves them. Landlord shows them a royal procla- 
mation with large red seal, at which they display indigna- 
tion, one of them shaking his fist at picture of King George. 
He, the leader, then explains by gesture what they hope 
to do. 

After a very short meal and drink, the three delegates 
rise, pay their reckoning to the landlord, bid farewell to 
the courtesying mistress and maid, and order the boy, who 
brings out their bridles again. The landlord escorts 
them to front of stage and directs them to Philadelphia 
on the right. Crack of whip on outside as they depart. 

6. Reading the Declaration of Independence in front 

of the Town Hall at Chester. 
Screens arranged to left, to represent the front of the 
old Town Hall. Raised stand with reading desk in front left 
corner. One of the delegates from Scene 5 acts as reader. 
The characters of Scene 5, with others, are grouped as 
citizens to right and rear. Used the costumes of 1776. 
The reader holds in his left hand a copy of the Declaration 
(get facsimile if possible) and is gesturing with his right. 
People cheering, one woman may be weeping or hanging 
her head, as she thinks of the fighting this move will bring. 

7. Washington' s Camp at Valley Forge. 

Scout uniforms, with continental sashes of buff and 
blue. Soldiers' log huts in rear, made of low screens. 
Projecting log painted black for cannon. Cotton for snow. 
Flags with 13 stars. Guns stacked. Washington in 
center, with aides. 

8. Washington Honored hy the Maids of Trenton. 
Triumphal arch of greens in center of stage, with a 

little flag drapery showing and white blossoms in the green. 
Arch made of light bent sticks. On each side of the arch, 
in front, is a group of girls in white, dressed as in 1789, 
with high waists. Each carries a flower basket, from which 
she strews in the pathway. General Washington, in 
civilian dress, as President of the United States, is coming 
through the Arch, with two or three others just behind him. 



10 

9- Emigrant Party on the Old Baltimore Turnpike. 

Camp scene by the roadside. Projecting from a tall 
screen to left are seen the tops of a pair of wheels and the 
rear end of a Conestoga wagon top and fl.ap end. Behind 
a low row of bricks covered with greens come up two 
forked supports for a pole and kettle; lamp inside the 
fire, showing through the sticks. The pioneer and his 
famil}' are grouped around the fire; gun, ax, bundle of 
stores, etc., lying by. Crex rugs used from Scene i to 
make roadside bank in rear, for party to sit on. 

10. Abraham Lincoln s College Course. 

Log cabin interior, made with screens. Rough fire- 
place, with concealed lamp, right. Mother knitting, 
father cleaning gun, rear. Lincoln, as a tall, barefoot 
young man, is lying on the floor with his side to the audi- 
ence in front of his parents, and with his head to the fire. 
His face is in his hands, elbows on floor. He is reading a 
book by the light of the fire. A large Bible and a Shake- 
speare are beside him, near the fire. 

11. Enlisting for the War, i86i. 

Army tent directly in rear. In front of the tent door, 
on camp stool before a light camp table, sits an army 
officer in blue uniform. Orderly behind him, and two 
soldiers at right, all with blue uniforms, fatigue caps and 
guns, and standing at attention. In front of the table, 
to left of officer, with his hand upraised, a young country 
lad is taking the oath; muster roll on table before him. 
Two or three other recruits are standing easily at right, 
awaiting their turn. 

12. Reading the Emancipation Proclamation, 1862. 

In front of a slave cabin, a group of plantation negroes 
in calico shirts and skirts; old mammy in turban; banjo, 
gun, dogs; young colored preacher in old black coat read- 
ing the proclamation; he stands near the front, facing 
the cabin door. The negroes are rejoicing at the news; 
preacher is enthusiastic. 

13. Farm Life in America. 

Hovenden's "Breaking Home Ties" was followed in 
arranging this scene. 

14. Columbia'' s Children. 

Uncle Sam and Columbia on a stand at center, rear, 



II 



draped in the flag, with forty-eight children in flag bunt- 
ing representing the states. Pennsylvania in center with 
golden keystone. 

The lecturer here says: "Once we would have stopped 
here; but today we feel a wider patriotism, an enthusiasm 
for humanity that runs round the world. Our great 
family of sovereign states, Columbia's children, has been 
receiving guests from many lands. These all now have 
a part in the privileges of citizenship." 

15. Liberty Enlightening the World. 

Lady in center on pedestal as the Statue of Liberty, 
with group of nations in costume representing our guests, 
the immigrant population — Italian, German, Irish, Scotch, 
Chinese, Syrian, Hungarian, Russian, etc. These are 
grouped close to base of statue, with the flag around 
Liberty's feet overhanging .them. Bunch of sparklets 
for torch, lighted just as the curtain rises. 

Quotations from Reports 

Quotations from reports received may suggest plans that 
are adaptable to local conditions. They also show the great 
variety of agencies and means employed. 

"The Mayor called a meeting of ladies and gentlemen inter- 
ested in such matters, who talked over plans, means, and pro- 
gram. Sub-committees were appointed and two meetings 
each week were held at the city hall. The Board of Trade, 
School Board, Business Men's Association, and Women's Civic 
Improvement Society were represented on the central committee." 

"Little talks and lessons were given in the schools, and 
literature tending to cultivate a proper respect for the day among 
young and old was circulated through the city." 

"Extracts from the State Law and a copy of the City Ordi- 
nance forbidding the manufacture, sale, or use of fireworks and 
explosives were printed in pamphlet form and, with the aid of 
the Police Department, distributed throughout the entire city." 

"The program began with salutes fired from the hillsides 
at sunrise and ended with a display of fireworks from the hill- 
sides at night. All this was in the hands of hired experts." 

"At noon a civic and military parade augmented by school 



12 

children, wiih hands of music, fife and drum corps etc., ended 
by passing in review at the pubHc square; then the raising of 
Old Glory and patriotic music followed by the reading of ex- 
tracts from the Declaration of Independence and a rousing 
Fourth of July Oration; the whole ending by the immense 
crowd singing America accompanied by all the bands united. 
It was inspiring!" 

"We were overflowed with posters and advertisements from 
outside towns before we got started, and we had to use the 
slogan, 'Let's have the fun and the money at home!' It is 
purely a matter of getting the people to pull together. The 
enthusiasm is catching so spread it, and promise them a good 
time for a very little expense, and you have them." 

"The local chapter of the Daughters of the American Revolu- 
tion took charge, asked the City Council for $ioo — and got it, 
had band concerts morning, afternoon, and evening, a flag 
raising in the afternoon with the State Militia participating 
and giving a salute of thirteen guns, also a flag salute by the 
children and the singing of patriotic songs by the crowd. The 
D. A. R. had thousands of leaflets printed giving the words of 
the most familiar patriotic songs. These were distributed 
through the crowd by the Boy Scouts." 

"The Independence Day Association organized and carried 
out the celebration aided by a grant of funds by the City Council. 
It was by far the greatest celebration ever held in our city. Not 
an accident or a single violation of law was recorded from the 
flag raising on the Court House lawn at 9 a. m. till the close of 
the wonderful firework display in the evening. It is estimated 
that about $5,000 was spent here by people from neighboring 
towns where no celebration was organized." 

"The grand and successful celebration carried out by the 
Civic Section of the Woman's Club has relegated to the past 
for all time the old and dangerous Fourth." 

"One section of the printed program was devoted to a brief 

chronology of interesting events in the history of R 

It can not but help our people, young and old, to take a keener 
interest in the welfare and future development of our city." 

"Former Mayor L presented to the children 18,000 

sanitary drinking cups for use on the Fourth. On one side of 



13 

the cups was printed the following poem selected by the Play- 
ground Commission. 

"Oh, beautiful my country, 

Be thine a nobler care 
Than all thy wealth and commerce, 

Thy harvests waving fair; 
Be it thy pride to lift up 

The manhood of the poor; 
Be thou to the oppressed 

Fair Freedom's open door ! 

"For thee our fathers suffered, 

For thee they toiled and prayed; 
Upon thy holy altar 

Their willing lives they laid. 
Thou hast no common birthright; 

Grand memories on thee shine; 
The blood of pilgrim nations 

Commingled flows in thine. 

"Oh, beautiful our country. 

Round thee in love we draw ; 
Thine is the grace of freedom, 

The majesty of law. 
Be righteousness thy sceptre, 

Justice thy diadem; 
And on thy shining-forehead 

Be peace the crowning gem." 

"Fun and frolic of a safe and sane nature was the order of 
the day at all of the park playgrounds for the Fourth of July. 
One particular attraction was the circus at the Park. It was 
called Uncle Sam's Circus and an inviting big pink hand bill 
set forth some of the wonders of the show. From 5 to 6 p. m. 
there will be continual merrymaking, Uncle Sam pitches his 
big tent in the Park and invites as guests, George Washington, 
Paul Revere, Betsy Ross and Columbia, all impersonated by 
playground folks. The magnificent medley of miscellaneous 
marvels march merrily by, and these are the playground children 
themselves. The big burly bears with entrancing tricks, gyrate 
in spectacular spirals. Next came the funny clowns, comic, 
farcial, facetious clowns, the finest collection of buffoons, wags, 
harlequins and merry Andrews in the world. Next comes a 
hobble skirt race with the reward, a priceless peerless peanut. 



14 

All of the playground members will participate in this handicap 
race. Apes, monkeys, orang-outangs and the rest of the tribe 
will next be exhibited. A reward is at the ticket offtce for the 
successful discoverer of the missing link. Another item of 
interest will be a graphic portrayal of Taft and Roosevelt with 
a view of the actual steam roller, brought from Chicago. Then 
the thrilling scene from Western life when the Indians attack 
Mutt and Jeff and drive the distinguished visitors across the 
plains. The females of the species being more deadly than the 
males give a war dance. The merriment closes with one last 




The First Americans 



final, ultimate and concluding triumphal march." (From the 
Program.) 

"The Mayor issued a proclamation setting forth the ad- 
vantages of a sane Fourth of July. This had considerable 
influence on the conduct of the whole celebration." 

"The Carnival Commission had charge of the fireworks dis- 
play which was set-off from the Fishing Pier. The Pier is an 
ideal spot both from the standpoint of security and observation." 



15 

"The City Council appropriates annually to the Mayor's 
office a total sum of $50,000 for public celebrations. From 
$12,000 to $14,000 is used for Independence Day. All these 
celebrations are in charge of a Director of Public Celebration, 
who works in co-operation with a Citizens' Celebration Com- 
mittee appointed by the Mayor." 

"In the morning we had a civic parade consisting of floats 
representing the several industries of the town and the various 
organizations. In the afternoon there was a picnic in the park 
for the children with a band concert and games. Band con- 
cert and fireworks in the evening. Our citizens are for a Safe 
and Sane Fourth every time." 

"We planned a very elaborate and ornamental souvenir 
program which brought us several hundred dollars worth of 
advertising." 

"On July 4, 191 1, this town was as dead as any little village. 
This year we organized a first class celebration which was a 
success in every sense of the word. A 'trades display' was a 
feature of the parade in which practically every industry in the 
city was represented. A water carnival of gayly decorated 
boats was held upon the river in the evening, followed by a 
magnificent display of fireworks." 

"I may add that these celebrations have had a good effect 
inasmuch as they keep our people at home as well as bring back 
to the city for the Fourth those who are away from home." 

" A.comniittee of the Business Men's Club was responsible 
for our fine celebration." 

"A special attempt was made to interest the Italians, of 
which there are many in our city. We got the editors of the 
Italian papers to give special attention to the meaning of the 
day. The Declaration of Independence was printed in Italian 
in their Sunday edition, and distributed freely in the Italian 
quarter. We also secured an eloquent Italian orator to address 
his people at the Soldiers' Monument. This drew a large crowd." 

"Our celebration was under the auspices of the Public Amuse- 
ment Commission, usually designated as the Recreation Com- 
mission. The best feature was that we had several hundred 
participants. We believe in participants rather than spectators." 



i6 

"Splendid programs under the direction of our sunuiier pla\'- 
ground force were held in the school buildings, all the children 
taking part. To each child was given an attractive souvenir 
containing extracts from the Declaration of Independence and 
Lincoln's Gettysburg Address in full. These were suitable for 
framing. In the afternoon a District Celebration was held in 
each Aldermanic district of the city." 

"I am writing on the letter head of our Fourth of July Cele- 




NoRWAv's Contribution 



bration Committee so that you may see that we have com- 
mittees to arrange and carry out every detail of the celebration. 
Our City Charter allows a fund to assist in such matters, but 
we do not believe that the city should pay all the expenses, as 
that simply makes what should be a patriotic duty, a political 
machine function." 

"A special feature of our celebration was a concert in the 
afternoon in which the local Singing Societies participated, to- 
gether with the school children." 

"First. We have a committee appointed from the City 



17 

Council consisting of six members. Second. The city appro- 
priates $2,000 — as its share of the expense. Third. The Busi- 
ness Men's Association and the Board of Trade each appoint 
committees. The committees of these two organizations soHcit 
subscriptions and the fund is added to that appropriated by the 
city. Fourth. This joint committee arranges the program 
and conducts the various events." 

"We are convinced that the Fourth of July is no longer to 
be regarded as a day set aside to celebrate only our glorious 
national past. It is to be a day for the people to pause and 
consider the outgrowth of this glorious past in our wonderful 
present. Together with pageants of the past, martial music, 
etc., we should have exhibitions of our agricultural, scientific, 
and commercial achievements— the fruits of liberty." 

"The children assemble at the Auditorium in the morning 
and go thence in procession through the streets and over the 
bridge to Harriet Island. The Island is an ideal place for any 
kind of a picnic or summer excursion, and its value is greatly 
enhanced by the fact that it is the site of the Public Baths and 
also contains a large well equipped playground for children. 
Paper bag luncheons are provided for all the children and un- 
limited quantities of lemonade are furnished. They play at 
will until about one o'clock and from that time until five o'clock 
they are entertained with various kinds of games into which 
they enter with zest. On the march to and from the Island 
each child carries a small American flag and waves it lustily. 
The procession of ten thousand or more makes a most impressive 
sight. Last year each child was provided with a card contain- 
ing information pertinent to the occasion. Very few of these 
cards were found strewn about at the end of the day. They 
seemed to appreciate them and carried them home. This plan 
has received general public commendation." 

"We had three band concerts in as many sections of the city, 
and a beautifully illuminated Water Carnival on the river in 
the evening. All the playgrounds were supplied with large 
quantities of ice cream and cakes so that every child might have 
these treats. A contract was given to a fireworks company to 
send off a quantity of paper balloon of all shapes and colors — 
sort of an aerial menagerie. The Nurses Club conducted a 
Relief Tent on the grounds, which was most useful to mothers 



i8 

who took their families, including small babies, out to enjoy 
the fun." 

"We have moving pictures, tableaux, and an outdoor dance 
on our Village Green." 

"Before adopting these modern methods we always had a 
long list of injured following the celebration of the Fourth. 
Since the passage of the Safe and Sane Ordinance our casualty 
list has been reduced to a minimum. The Fourth of July is 
looked forward to by all our citizens as a day of enjoyment and 




Natioxal Dances ox the Green 



it is needless to say that we are all satisfied with this sane and 
patriotic manner of celebrating." 



WHAT TETANUS IS 

"Tetanus bacilli are tiny micro-organisms so small that six 
could lie side by side on the edge of a razor and have space to 
turn over, but deadly out of all proportion to their size. They 
are everywhere about us in the dust of the street on every sur- 



19 

face we touch; they would depopulate the earth but for the 
reason they are powerless in the presence of air. But let them 
be inclosed in some soft, warm receptacle, given animal matter 
upon which to feed and with their enemy oxygen shut out, they 
breed, multiply and spread. If this soft, warm place is a wound, 
and the animal matter is the body of your child, and the edges 
of the wound are closed and the oxygen kept out, the tetanus 
bacilli will secrete a poison which will travel, not in his veins 
and arteries, but along his nerve sheaths, slowly, surely and 
deadly, until muscle after muscle is affected, paralysis sets in, 
convulsions occur, and after contortions so violent that the 
ligaments of the body are frequently torn in two, your child 
will die, literally tortured to death. This is tetanus, and tetanus 
is, or may be, the result of any powder wound deep enough to 
close. The toy pistol, fire cracker, cannon cracker, rocket or 
even the pinwheel in the grimy hands of your child is charged 
with agony. You, in the ignorance of your day, faced these 
dangers and escaped. Thousands did not escape. Will you 
continue to place these instruments of death in the hands of 
your children?" — (From the Schenectady Union-Star). 



ORDINANCES 

A Suggested Form for an Ordinance. 

Section i . — It shall not be lawful for any person to fire or set off gun- 
powder, rockets, pistols, firecrackers, or fireworks in any part of the city 
of except that on the day set apart for the celebration of the anni- 
versary of the Declaration of Independence of the United States, and be- 
tween the hours of 12 and 12:15 noon, fire-works may be fired or set off except 
toy cannons, pistols with blank or other cartridges, firecrackers exceeding 
five inches in length, firecrackers containing picric acid, or torpedo canes 
made of cast iron. 

Sec. 2. — It shall be unlawful for any person to sell or oft'er for sale 

within the city limits of the city of any blank cartridge, pistol, 

cannon, firecracker exceeding five inches in length, crackers or explosives 
containing picric acid, torpedo canes made of cast iron, or any large ammu- 
nition, commonly known as 'car track ammunition' except that wholesale 

dealers in the city of may continue to sell to persons located 

out of said city, and all dealers may continue to sell other firearms, and other 
explosives to persons located within and without said city. 

Sec. 3. — Nothing in this ordinance contained shall be construed to 
prevent pyrotechnical displays, or the firing of salutes under permits there- 
for to be granted by the proper authorities. 



20 

Sec. 4. — An\- person \iolating any of the provisions of this ordinance 
shall be deemed guilty of a misdemeanor, and upon conviction thereof shall 
be punished by a fine of not less than five dollars, nor more than twenty- 
five dollars, and in cases of failure to pay such a fine may be confined in 
jail for one day for each dollar of said fine. 

Sample ordinances now in effect. (Several others are given 
in pamphlet No. 105, " How the 'Fourth' was Celebrated in 
191 1," published by the Department of Recreation of the Rus- 
sell Sage Foundation.) 

AKRON, OHIO 
(Enacted 1910) 

Section i. — The discharge, firing or use of all fire crackers, rockets, 
torpedoes, Roman candles, or other fireworks or substances designed and in- 
tended for pyrotechnic display, and of all pistols, canes, cannons, or other 
appliances, using blank cartridges or caps containing chlorate or potash mix- 
ture, is hereby prohibited. Provided that the Mayor or Council may order 
the public display of fireworks by properly qualified individuals under the 
direct supervision of experts in the handling of fireworks. Provided also that 
such display or displays shall be of such a character and so located, discharged 
or fired as, in the opinion of the Chief of the Fire Department, shall not be 
hazardous to surrounding property or endanger any person or persons. 

Sec 2. — The sale of fireworks at retail is prohibited. 

Sec. 3. — The storage or sale of fireworks at wholesale is prohibited, 
except by permit from the Mayor, issued for a period of one year. Applica- 
tion for permit must be filed with the Chief of the Fire Department at least 
thirty days previous to the issuing of the permit and must give detailed 
description of the proposed care and storage of said materials and of the 
structural conditions and occupancies of the building. 

Sec. 4. — Permits may be issued only after an inspection of the premises 
by the Chief of the Fire Department or his authorized agent, who shall file 
with the mayor and Fire Department a certificate of approval or his dis- 
approval and reasons therefor. 

Sec. 5. — Any person, firm, or corporation violating any of the provisions 
of this ordinance as regards the storage and sale of fireworks shall be deemed 
guilty of a misdemeanor and be fined not less than ten dollars ($10) nor more 
than twenty-five dollars ($25) for each, day's neglect of compliance. Pro- 
vided also that violation of other sections of this ordinance shall be considered 
a misdemeanor punishable by a fine not exceeding ten dollars ($10). 

The Chief of the Fire Department may, at his discretion, remove or have 
removed, at the owner's expense, all stocks of fireworks or other combustibles 
exposed for sale or held in stock in violation of this ordinance. 

Sec. 6. — The Chief of Fire Department shall direct such fire appliances 
as in his judgment may be necessary for the premises, and he shall see that 
two or more persons are instructed in their use, and as to the best means of 
getting fire alarms to the Fire Department. 



21 

Sec. 7. — All ordinances and parts of ordinances inconsistent herewith 
are hereby repealed. 

Sec. 8. — This ordinance shall take effect and be in force from and after 
August 1st, 1910. 

BOSTON, MASSACHUSETTS 

(Enacted 1909) 

Section i. — It shall be unlawful for any person at any time to discharge 
or set off anywhere within the city or to have in his possession for such pur- 
pose any kind of fireworks, except as hereinafter provided. 

Sec. 2. — In that part of the city formerly Charlestown, on Bunker Hill 
Day, or the day celebrated as such, and anywhere within the city on Inde- 
pendence Day, or the day celebrated as such, it shall be lawful for any person 
to discharge or set off between the hours of 6 a. m. and 7 p. m. any kind of 
fireworks, and between the hours of 7 p. m. and 10 p. m. fireworks for dis- 
play only, except as hereinafter provided. 

Sec. 3. — It shall be lawful for any person to discharge or set off on days 
other than those named in Section 2, fireworks for display only, provided he 
shall be granted a license for that purpose by the mayor and aldermen, except 
as hereinafter provided. 

Sec. 4. — ^^It shall be unlawful for any person at any time to place upon 
the rail of any street or steam railroad or upon any street, any cracker, cap or 
other explosive with the intent that it shall be discharged or exploded by the 
passage of any street car, steam car or other vehicle. 

Sec. 5. — It shall be unlawful for any person at any time to discharge or 
set off any kind of fireworks within three hundred yards of a hospital or build- 
ing in which a patriotic concert, exhibition or exercises is in progress. 

Sec. 6. — It shall be unlawful for any person at any time to discharge or 
set off anywhere within the city, or to have in his possession for such purpose, 
any toy pistol, toy gun, toy cannon, detonating cane, blank cartridge, fire- 
cracker exceeding six inches in length and one inch in diameter, firecracker 
of any size containing any explosive more powerful than black gunpowder, 
torpedo exceeding three-quarters of an inch in diameter, any substance con- 
sisting of chlorate of potash and sulphur, or containing picric acid or picrates 
or any device for discharging or exploding such substance. 

Sec. 7. — Any person violating any provision of this ordinance shall be 
subject to a penalty not exceeding fifty dollars for each offense. 

Sec. 8. — All ordinances or parts of ordinances inconsistent herewith or 
contrary hereto are hereby repealed. 



Concerning Sale of Fireworks, Etc. 
Section i. — It shall be unlawful for any person, firm or corporation to 
sell, offer or expose for sale, to loan or give away to any retail dealer, consumer 
or user, located within the city, any toy pistol, toy gun, toy cannon, detonat- 
ing cane, blank cartridge, firecracker exceeding six inches in length and one 
inch in diameter, firecracker of any size containing any explosive more power- 
ful than black gunpowder, torpedo exceeding three-quarters of an inch in 
diameter, any substance consisting of chlorate of potash and sulphur or con- 



22 

taining picric acid or picratcs, or any ck'\icc for discharging or exploding such 
substance. 

Sec. 2. — Any person, firm or corporation \iolating this ordinance shall 
be subject to a penalty not exceeding fifty dollars for each offense, and a 
separate offense shall be regarded as committed for every day during which 
such person, firm or corporation shall continue such violation. 



BUFFALO, NEW YORK 
(Enacted 1910) 

Section 9. — No person or persons, firm, copartnership, or corporation 
shall keep for sale, offer for sale, distribute, give away or have in his, their or 
its possession any fireworks of any character whatever, for use within the City 
of Buffalo, which shall contain dynamite, giant powder, nitro-glycerine, 
dualin or other explosives more powerful than ordinary black gunpowder. 
No person, or persons, firm, copartnership or corporation shall keep for sale, 
offer for sale, distribute or give away for use within the limits of the City of 
Buffalo any giant firecracker, or any other firecracker that is likely to maim or 
injure any person by the explosion thereof, except Chinese firecrackers, not 
exceeding five inches in length; nor shall any person or persons, firm, corpora- 
tion or copartnership keep for sale, offer for sale, distribute or give away for 
use within the limits of the City of Buffalo any toy revolvers, toy pistols, or 
toy cannons of any description whatever in which powder of any kind can be 
exploded, blank cartridge pistols, toy cartridge pistols, or toy revolvers, re- 
peating or bomjack marbles, Kango clubs, car track torpedoes, Vesuvius 
torpedoes, torpedo canes or ammunition for torpedo canes. No person shall 
place any torpedo of any description whatever upon the street car tracks or 
upon the public streets of the City. No person or persons, firm, copartnership 
or corporation shall sell, offer for sale or give away any fireworks of any charac- 
ter whatever to children under the age of fifteen (15) years. 

A violation of this ordinance shall be punishable by a fine not exceeding 
twenty-five dollars ($25) for each offense. 

Sec. 10. — No person or persons, firm, copartnership or corporation 
shall within the limits of the City of Buffalo, sell, store, keep for sale or offer 
for sale, for use within the City of Buffalo, firearms of any description what- 
ever without first having obtained a license therefor from the Board of Fire 
Commissioners. Before any person or persons, firm, copartnership or cor- 
poration shall receive a license, application shall be made to the Board of 
Fire Commissioners in writing for the same. Licenses issued shall be at the 
rate of $1 each and shall be good for one year from the date of issuance. 

A violation of this ordinance shall be punishable by a fine not exceeding 
$50 for each offense. 

CHICAGO, ILLINOIS 

(Enacted 191 1) 
. Section i. — No person shall at any time discharge or set off anywhere 
within the city of Chicago, or have in his or her possession for such purpose, 
any toy pistol, toy gun, toy cannon, blank cartridge, or any fireworks, fire- 



23 

crackers, torpedoes, bombs, rockets, spinwheels, fire balloons, Roman candles, 
detonating canes or ammunition therefor, or any substances or articles of an 
explosive nature designed or intended to be used as fireworks; provided, how- 
ever, that the Mayor of the City of Chicago may permit or order the public 
display of fireworks by permit in writing issued by him as hereinafter pro- 
vided. And provided, further, that pyrotechnic displays of fireworks may 
be given at any time in licensed amusement parks under the supervision of 
the licensee and at least one representative of the police department of the 
City of Chicago. 



ERIE, PENNSYLVANIA 
(Enacted 1910) 

Section i. — -That it shall be unlawful for any person to fire, set ofT, or 
make use of for purpose of explosion, amusement, display or otherwise in the 
City of Erie, any blank cartridge pistol, dynamite cracker, powder cannon, 
torpedo cane and its pellets, blank cartridge cane, firecracker over six inches 
in length, firecracker between three and one-half inches and six inches in 
length which is over three-fourths of one inch in diameter, firecracker three 
and one-half inches or more in length that is over one inch in diameter, any 
firecracker or fireworks containing picric acid, picrates, dynamite, or other 
highexplosive compound, or to explode any blank cartridge pellet, or tablet, 
containing dynamite, or other high explosive compound when used in pistols 
or hollow canes, any toy for explosive purposes, or make use of any sling. 

Sec. 2. — That it shall be unlawful for any person, firm or corporation 
within the City of Erie to sell, offer for sale, or have in his, their or its pos- 
session or custody any blank cartridges, pistol, dynamite cracker, powder 
cannon, torpedo cane, and its pellets, blank cartridge cane, firecracker over 
six inches long, firecracker between three and one-half inches and six inches in 
length that is more than three-fourths of an inch in diameter, firecracker to the 
length of three and one-half inches which is over one inch in diameter, or any 
firecracker or fireworks containing picric acid, picrates, dynamite, or other 
high explosive compound, any sling, any blank cartridge pellet or tablet con- 
taining dynamite or other high explosive compound for use in pistols or hollow 
canes, or any toy for explosive purposes. ■ 

Sec. 3. — That it shall be unlawful for any person to ignite, light, fire or 
cause to explode any pistol, firecracker, or any other ajticle or thing intended 
to make or produce an explosion or noise within a distance of seven hundred 
feet from any hospital in said City of Erie. 

Sec. 4. — That it shall be unlawful to sell, or offer for sale, fireworks, 
slings, or toy explosives, of any kind in the City of Erie except on the third 
or fourth of July, and it shall be unlawful to ignite, fire, set off, explode, or 
use the same in said city except on the Fourth of July, calendar day, to-wit: 
from 12 o'clock midnight of July third to 12 o'clock midnight of July fourth, 
and the same shall be sold on July 3rd and 4th only upon a license from the 
Mayor as provided in existing ordinance. When the Fourth of July shall 
fall on a Sunday the privileges of this ordinance shall not apply and no fire- 
works, etc., shall be sold or used on that day, but the next day (July 5th) 
shall be observed instead, and the provisions of this ordinance, so far as they 



24 

permit the sale and use of fireworks, etc., shall then apply to July 5th, in- 
stead of to July 4th; and when the third of Jul>- shall fall on a Sunday no 
fireworks, etc., shall be sold on that da\- but may be sold on the next pre- 
ceding day (Saturday) instead. 

Sec. 5. — That any person violating any provision of this ordinance 
shall, upon conviction thereof before the Mayor, or any alderman, magistrate 
or Justice of the Peace, be deemed guilty of disorderly conduct and shall be 
fined not more than One Hundred Dollars ($100.00), for each and every of- 
fense, and in default of payment of such fine and costs shall be imprisoned in 
the common jail of Erie County for a period not exceeding thirt y days. 

Sec. 6. — That all ordinances, or parts thereof, conflicting herewith, be 
and the same are hereby repealed. 



SACRAMENTO, CALIFORNIA 

(Enacted 191 1) 

Section i. — No person or persons, firrn, company, corporation or asso- 
ciation shall, after the passage of this Ordinance, fire or discharge any fire- 
works within the City of Sacramento. 

Provided, however, that public displays of fireworks may be given with 
the joint written consent of the Chief Engineer of Fire Department and the 
Chief of Police. 

Sec. 2. — No person, or persons, firm, company, corporation or asso- 
ciation shall, after the passage of this Ordinance, sell any fireworks within 
the City of Sacramento. 

Provided, however, that the local manufacturers of fireworks and local 
dealers in fireworks shall have the right, subject to any restrictions of all ex- 
isting ordinances, to sell fireworks to customers for use outside of the City of 
Sacramento solely, and to store goods for such sale. 

Sec. 3. — Any person or persons, firm, company, corporation or associa- 
tion who or which shall violate any of the provisions of this Ordinance shall 
be guilty of a misdemeanor, and upon conviction thereof shall be punished 
by a fine not exceeding five hundred dollars ($500), or by imprisonment in 
the City Prison for a period not exceeding six months, or by both such fine 
and imprisonment. 

Sec. 4. — This Ordinance shall take effect thirty days from and after its 
passage. 



Some of the Pamphlets of the Department 
of Recreation 

R 97. A Safe and Patriotic Fourth of July. 

Practical suggestions for celebrations of Independence Day. Pre- 
pared by a committee of the New Jersey State Federation of Women's 
Clubs. 24 pp. 5 cents. 

R 105. How the Fourth was Celebrated in 191 1. — Lee F. Hanmer. 

For the use of the committees preparing programs for the next 
Fourth of July celebration, the best features of all the celebrations of 
191 1 have been put together for publication. Typical ordinances and 
state laws are also included. 54 pp. Illustrated. 10 cents. 

R 114. Celebrating the Fourth of July by Means of Pageantry. — 
William Chauncy Langdon. 

This pamphlet includes a consideration of the practicability of the 
pageant or community-drama for the celebration of the Fourth of July, 
and two outlines, one of a celebration, the other of a general pageant 
which can be adapted to suit special conditions, with practical sugges- 
tions for their use. It also includes an article on Music for Independ- 
ence Day Celebrations by Arthur Farwell, who for the past two years 
has been Superintendent of Municipal Concerts of New York City. 
48 pp. 15 cents. 

R 118. Folk Dancing.— Luther H. Gulick, M.D. 

Part I shows the development of Folk and National Dances and his- 
tory and symboUc meaning of some of them. Part II discusses the 
educational value of Folk Dancing as shown by its use in the public 
schools of New York City. 26 pp. Illustrated. 5 cents. 

R 72. Athletics in the Public Schools. — Lee F. Hanmer. 

A review of the development of athletics in the elementary and 
secondary schools and a description of the organization of the public 
school athletic leagues in various cities. Bibliography. 36 pp. 5 
cents. 

R 121. Recreation Bibhography. — Clara L. Van Slyck. 

Pamphlet containing a list of the more formal publications, with 
armotations, and an extensive list of magazine articles dealing with the 
subject of recreation. 10 cents. 

R 106. Recreation Legislation. — Lee F. Hanmer. 

This pamphlet contains typical State laws and city ordinances dealing 
with matters of public recreation. All of this material has been veri- 
fied by proper authorities. 68 pp. 20 cents. 

DEPARTMENT OF RECREATION, 
RUSSELL SAGE FOUNDATION, 

400 Metropolitan Tower, New York City. 



^8 ^ 


















/"\ •.^••>*'"V --^P-* /%. •.^•' **'"** --^^ 




"^^%« 








'-ee.o'* 



^•- '^^ A^ t*^ 






"^^^ '*7^-\-&*-' 






% <^ -"^ 









•V^«* aP 




►"^ .•.^' 














^.^^' 



/% 











0.^-^ 
•^^ *^«^ 



